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When we asked what they wanted to be when they grow up, some said Minister for Education, some said Minister for Disabilities, several said President, and many said that they wanted to grow up to be just like Mr Kamara.

On my recent and very first trip to Children in Crisis’ projects in Kambia, Sierra Leone, I was fortunate enough to spend time with Joseph Kamara, the founder of our local partner organisation WESOFOD. I accompanied Joseph on his visits to some of the communities that Children in Crisis and WESOFOD work in. There, we met some of the children we have supported, as well as those who still need support.

Joseph Kamara, the founder of Children in Crisis’ partner organisation WESOFOD – a local NGO run by people with disabilities who advocate for the rights of the disabled and directly support children with disabilities.

Despite the lack of knowledge and understanding around disabilities in Kambia, it was incredible to see such a positive and welcoming reaction to Joseph’s arrival within these communities. For the children we met – many of them confined to their homes because the world beyond their (often high and challenging) doorstep is not adapted to their needs – I thought that it must be rare for them to see a person with disabilities being regarded in such high esteem.

It was at these moments that I felt truly proud to work for an organisation like Children in Crisis, that puts such great emphasis on working with local partners – and WESOFOD is a pretty special example of this. Joseph himself is living proof that people with disabilities in Sierra Leone CAN succeed and be a beacon for their communities, and he represents everything that WESOFOD is, with absolute determination and pride.

Some of the children who are cared for by WESOFOD

When we spoke to the children who were soon to move into a new home and treatment centre, many told us about the multitudinous challenges faced by people with disabilities in Kambia, but that Joseph had given them hope. When we asked what they wanted to be when they grow up, some said Minister for Education, some said Minister for Disabilities, several said President, and many said that they wanted to grow up to be just like Mr Kamara.

Since returning to London, I am constantly reminded of my time with WESOFOD. When a London bus driver moves closer to the curb to allow a wheelchair user to disembark using the built-in ramp (there are many wonderful things about that sentence) I am immediately transported back to the remote communities of Kambia.

Children with disabilities in rural Kambia are often confined to their homes, unable to travel on unpaved roads

I have become infinitely more aware of my surroundings in so many ways. I have realised that every inch of the land around me is produced, reinforced, maintained, and adapted so that it is that much more accessible (though certainly far from perfect). I was born into this world. I did not earn it or contribute to it, I am simply lucky. I have a whole new appreciation for my own mobility, and how something as seemingly simple as a flat pavement can mean a child’s safe route to school.

I think of Joseph often, and always with a smile. It is astounding how one man’s determination can bring so much hope, strength and ambition to so many others. Joseph has given Kambia reason to believe that what many once thought impossible, is most definitely possible.

Written by Laura Colgan – Corporate Fundraising Officer – Children in Crisis